Govt starts taking over FAT-affiliated schools

Srinagar, Aug 23: The Jammu and Kashmir Government today started the process to take over the schools affiliated with the proscribed Jamaat-e-Islami’s affiliate Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT).

Police teams accompanied by Tehsildars on Saturday visited several schools to physically check the documents of different FAT schools, which were on spot handed over to the principal of the nearby higher secondary schools.

"Police teams along with Tehsildars, visited the schools to check the records and other documents. The schools were formally handed over to the Principal of higher secondary schools and headmaster of government high schools," a Police official told Greater Kashmir.

The Minister for Education, Sakina Itoo on Saturday said that the government has not banned or taken over any FAT school but decided to look after these institutions to safeguard the careers of 51000 students enrolled in these schools.

The minister said these schools were functioning without registration, while the tenure of their managing body had also expired.

"These schools could not renew the managing committees as their CID verification was adverse. The CID report was reported adverse during the PDP government in Jammu and Kashmir," Sakina Itoo said while addressing media persons.

The statement comes a day after the Secretary School Education Department (SED) issued an order that the managing committee of these FAT schools will be taken over by the concerned Deputy Commissioners, which evoked criticism from the opposition parties and other political leaders.

"I will clarify that post 2019, around 215 FAT schools did not have a management committee or registration. The term of their managing body had expired and a new registration was not done as their CID report was adverse," Sakina Itoo said.

She said that without registration or a management committee, the future of over 51000 students enrolled in these schools was at stake as they were denied registration forms for board exams.

"Last year three students faced immense problems after they were denied registration forms for their board exams," she said.

Following these episodes, the government decided that these schools will be looked after by the principal of the nearby schools till the management committees of these schools are formed.

"The CID verification of these management committees was banned in 2019 and their CID report was also adverse. Nobody was concerned about it but some students came to me and gave their representations, following which we approved a file that Principals of higher secondary schools will look after these schools," she said.

She said that the concerned Principals will sign their exam forms to safeguard their academic career.

"The principals will look after these schools temporarily and if the managing committee of these schools are formed within a week's time and get CID verification as well, we will hand over the schools to them," she said.

Reacting to the criticism received from political parties, particularly PDP, the education minister said the COD verification report of these managing committees was given adversely during the PDP regime.

"In 2019, when PDP was in the government, that time, the CID had given an adverse report to the managing body of these schools and since then these schools did not have any management and registration as well," she said.

She asked the political leaders why they did not raise these questions when the CID verification of these managements was negative.

"And now we tried to safeguard the career of these students and they are raising questions on us," she said.

When asked why Secretary SED directed DCs to take over the managing committee of these schools, she said the questions should be asked to the secretary.

"As per my approval as education minister, we decided that the Principals will look after these schools for three months after which the decision will be reviewed. This temporary arrangement was done to reduce the stress of the students appearing in Board exams," she said.

She said as per the rules, if the tenure of the managing committee of any such school expires then the Principal of the nearby school takes care of it.

"So I will again say that we have not closed any schools. We will look after these schools for three months till a review is taken," she said.